“Here, then, we have the spectacle of the United States Government making statements to business men through a publication that the common people never read, that are directly opposed to the statements that are made to the people of the United States in congressional debates and other publications. “Now, ask yourself these questions: “Would the establishment of a parcels post by Brazil, which we have permitted to extend to this country, open any markets for Americans in Brazil if parcels-post rates did not permit American merchants to deliver their goods in Brazil at reduced cost? “Again: If a parcels-post in Brazil will enable American merchants to lay down their goods in Brazil at reduced cost, why wouldn’t a parcels post in the United States enable American merchants to lay down their goods in the United States at reduced cost? “Furthermore: If reduced carrying charges would enable American merchants to capture Brazilian trade by reducing selling prices, why wouldn’t reduced carrying charges tend toward lower selling prices in the United States? “Finally: Is there any reason on earth why the United States Government, which is opposed to a parcels post in this country, through an official publication, welcomes a parcels post in Brazil--is there any reason except the one fact that there are no American express companies in Brazil? “Figure it out for yourself. I have figured it out for myself. As I figure it out, the United States Government is treating us as if we were a little weak in the head; as if we are just foolish enough so that it was safe to print, in a semi-public official publication, an acknowledgment that all of its excuses for not giving us a parcels post are really impudent lies.… “‘Should the mail trade have a government subsidy?’ asked one gentleman who represented an association of jobbing firms. Let us see how much honesty there is in this question. A subsidy implies the payment of money, either for nothing, or for something that is not immediately received in return. That is what these same rich gentlemen mean by subsidy when they ask you to subsidize American ships. What element of subsidy would there be in a parcels post that enabled the government to derive a great profit from the mail-order business? We have all the machinery for handling ‘packets’--costly postoffice buildings, cars, letter carriers, rural mail carriers. Why not use them? Why not let the rural mail carrier, whose average load is now 25 pounds, carry 500 pounds at a cent a pound? The postoffice department would earn $40,000,000 more a year if the rural wagons were loaded to the 500-pound limit.